Changing from EMG 81 to Blackouts

[Terpdudematt]

I've been looking through this forum and have not found exact answer to this question: Can you simply swap the 81's with the blackouts without any soldering or anything? I know the 81's have a quick connect system. Is the blackout quick connect compatible with the 81 quick connect? Are the pots that are installed with the 81's compatible with the blackouts? I would appreciate an answer from someone who's done the swap successfully. Thanks!

 

[chris_tw21]

Re: Changing from EMG 81 to Blackouts

When you buy the set of duncans it comes with the cables.

 

[LatsMcGee]

Re: Changing from EMG 81 to Blackouts

In a word, YES.

 

[Terpdudematt]

Re: Changing from EMG 81 to Blackouts

When you buy the set of duncans it comes with the cables.

I understand it comes with the cables, but I want to do as little re-wiring as possible. I can take the old pickups out and put the new ones in, but I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to wiring. Basically I'm looking for easy plug and play. Otherwise I have to pay a repair guy to do it.

 

[Franknfilms]

Re: Changing from EMG 81 to Blackouts

I understand it comes with the cables, but I want to do as little re-wiring as possible. I can take the old pickups out and put the new ones in, but I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to wiring. Basically I'm looking for easy plug and play. Otherwise I have to pay a repair guy to do it.

ABSOLUTELY man. I don't do soldering at all. I loosened the strings, unscrewed the pickup from the pickup ring, pulled the quick connect cable off and put it on the blackout. Re-screw, re-string, you are done. Once you start unscrewing the pickups you'll know exactly what you are doing, it will be clear as day. Only tool required is a small phillips head screwdriver.

Here's my thread regarding the sound

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Changing from EMG 81 to Blackouts

Can you simply swap the 81's with the blackouts without any soldering or anything? I know the 81's have a quick connect system. Is the blackout quick connect compatible with the 81 quick connect? Are the pots that are installed with the 81's compatible with the blackouts? I would appreciate an answer from someone who's done the swap successfully. Thanks!

Yes. It is a piece of piss.

I extracted the OEM EMG-81/60 humbuckers from my LTD EC-401 and installed Seymour Duncan Live Wire Classic II humbuckers ON THE EMG LOOM.

I then installed EMGs from scratch into an Ibanez RG321 using Seymour Duncan QC cabling.

The wire gauges maybe different but they function exactly the same way as each other.

 

[Franknfilms]

Re: Changing from EMG 81 to Blackouts

Also, keep in mind that the Blackouts have a cable attached to them, in case you do not already have the emg quick connects. Just wrap it up and forget about it.

 

[Terpdudematt]

Re: Changing from EMG 81 to Blackouts

Thanks for the info.

 

[BrockSamson]

Re: Changing from EMG 81 to Blackouts

I did this on my Jackson that came with EMGs. Put in a Blackouts Metal and Livewire Classic II bridge.

The only thing, EMG are not grounded, however do the Blackouts need to add a ground wire?

 

[Franknfilms]

Re: Changing from EMG 81 to Blackouts

The only thing, EMG are not grounded, however do the Blackouts need to add a ground wire?

This is a good question with no definitive answer that I have seen. Yes, of course, the blackouts work perfectly in emg quick connects, but are they grounded? I have no idea. Someone should answer, I've seen this question come up many times and no real answer.

 

[Terpdudematt]

Re: Changing from EMG 81 to Blackouts

Do the Blackouts need to be grounded, and if so how is it done? :scratchch

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Changing from EMG 81 to Blackouts

It is the bridge that Blackouts require to be grounded.

If you have converted a passive pickup guitar to active pickups, this wire will already be present. It will just need soldering back into circuit.

If you are altering a guitar that began with EMG active pickups, the bridge ground wire will need to be added to your guitar's original circuit. The exact method will depend upon the design/construction style of your instrument.

EDIT: Just to confuse matters, my LTD EC-401, which was manufactured with EMG active pickups and Quik Connect cabling, has a bridge grounding wire as standard. (i. e. Contrary to EMG wiring instructions.)

 

[Terpdudematt]

Re: Changing from EMG 81 to Blackouts

It is the bridge that Blackouts require to be grounded.

If you have converted a passive pickup guitar to active pickups, this wire will already be present. It will just need soldering back into circuit.

If you are altering a guitar that began with EMG active pickups, the bridge ground wire will need to be added to your guitar's original circuit. The exact method will depend upon the design/construction style of your instrument.

EDIT: Just to confuse matters, my LTD EC-401, which was manufactured with EMG active pickups and Quik Connect cabling, has a bridge grounding wire as standard. (i. e. Contrary to EMG wiring instructions.)

I have an LTD EC-1000 which came with EMG's. Do you think it's a good bet that my bridge is grounded? How would I know?

 

[Franknfilms]

Re: Changing from EMG 81 to Blackouts

It is the bridge that Blackouts require to be grounded.

If you have converted a passive pickup guitar to active pickups, this wire will already be present. It will just need soldering back into circuit.

If you are altering a guitar that began with EMG active pickups, the bridge ground wire will need to be added to your guitar's original circuit. The exact method will depend upon the design/construction style of your instrument.

EDIT: Just to confuse matters, my LTD EC-401, which was manufactured with EMG active pickups and Quik Connect cabling, has a bridge grounding wire as standard. (i. e. Contrary to EMG wiring instructions.)

Thanks, this was very helpful. My blackout bridge, and emg it replaced, were not grounded. I'm sure this didn't effect the tone at all, the blackout sounded just fine, but was it some type of risk for me to be playing with the blackout bridge ungrounded? I can imagine there are tons of people that are playing with blackout bridges right now that are ungrounded due to the fact that they just plugged in the quick connect. I feel like this deserves a new thread.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Changing from EMG 81 to Blackouts

I have an LTD EC-1000 which came with EMG's. Do you think it's a good bet that my bridge is grounded? How would I know?

Take a look inside the control cavity. On my Indonesian-made guitar, all of the cabling to the pickups and the selector switch leaves through a single, wide aperture. Away, on its own, there is one thin black insulated wire that disappears through a separate, small round hole towards the bridge/tailpiece.

Thanks, this was very helpful. My blackout bridge, and emg it replaced, were not grounded. I'm sure this didn't effect the tone at all, the blackout sounded just fine, but was it some type of risk for me to be playing with the blackout bridge ungrounded? I can imagine there are tons of people that are playing with blackout bridges right now that are ungrounded due to the fact that they just plugged in the quick connect. I feel like this deserves a new thread.

Are you sure?

When I used the word "bridge", I meant the metal thing over which your strings pass on their way over the fingerboard, towards the nut.

Your EMG and SD active pickups ARE grounded via the black conductor on the Quik Connect block and then the bare end of the same wire on the chassis of one of the control pots.

I suspect that some confusion may have arisen because Blackouts offer BOTH hardwired and QC. If you employ the QC blocks, there is no need to ground the hard wire conductor shielding.

 

[Franknfilms]

Re: Changing from EMG 81 to Blackouts

If you employ the QC blocks, there is no need to ground the hard wire conductor shielding.

Thanks that clears it up.

 

[Terpdudematt]

Re: Changing from EMG 81 to Blackouts

So if I use the QC, I don't have to worry about grounding it?

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Changing from EMG 81 to Blackouts

If you use the QC blocks correctly, you HAVE grounded the pickup.

The block black's connected to the bare strands.
The bare strands connected to the pot case.
De pot case connected to de jack ground.
Now hear the sound of the axe.